Help is available for perinatal mood disorders | independent.gmnews.com | Independent

The time when families begin preparing for the arrival of a new baby can be a time of joy, filled with hopes, dreams and high expectations for the future.
While many women feel this elation throughout their pregnancy, for some women, the periods before, during and after pregnancy are anything but happy, according to the Regional Perinatal Consortium of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
The consortium assists with the orderly provision and coordination of all hospital and community-based maternal and child health services within the region. This includes patient care from the prenatal phase through delivery and pediatric primary care.
According to the consortium, up to 80 percent of new mothers experience at least a brief episode of the “baby blues” — feelings of sadness, anxiety, loneliness or moodiness — within the first few days of giving birth. After a few weeks these symptoms typically disappear.
When symptoms persist or deepen, they may be a sign of postpartum depression or another perinatal mood disorder, a press release from the consortium states.
Perinatal mood disorders (PMD) include: anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorders and postpartum depression. The depression may be mild, moderate or severe.
According to the consortium, PMD is serious but treatable, and does not mean anything is wrong with a woman’s ability to be a mother.
PMD affects one in every eight to 10 women, but many people are uninformed. Any woman who has recently had a baby, ended a pregnancy, or has stopped breastfeeding can be affected by PMD, the press release states. The disorders usually occur within the first year after childbirth, miscarriage or stillbirth, but the signs of depression can appear earlier, when woman is pregnant or even planning to be.
While the exact cause is unknown, contributing factors may be biological, psychological or hormonal, according to experts. Family members can play an important role by recognizing the warning signs of PMD, helping the woman seek help and providing support.
The warning signs are different for everyone but may include the following: trouble sleeping or sleeping too much; feeling irritable, angry, nervous or exhausted; lack of interest in the baby, in friends and family; feeling guilty, worthless, hopeless, being a bad mother; crying uncontrollably; hypervigilance; thoughts of harming the baby or herself.
Perinatal mood disorders cause distress and adversely affect daily functioning and personal relationships. If left untreated, they can have long-term adverse effects on the woman and baby. Fortunately even the most severe cases are highly treatable, but the earlier treatment begins, the more effective it is. A woman’s obstetrician/gynecologist, family physician and pediatrician can all be effective starting points for assessment and referral for treatment.
Women affected by perinatal mood disorders have numerous resources available to them. In the Monmouth County area, they can contact the Regional Perinatal Consortium at 732-363-5400 for more information.
The N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services provides a 24-hour statewide PMD helpline, 1-800-328-3838,
answer questions and provide information on resources, as well as a comprehensive informational website, www.njspeakup.gov.

Help is available for perinatal mood disorders | independent.gmnews.com | Independent